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Gomes tossed after ump doesn't grant timeout

Gomes tossed after ump doesn't grant timeout

7/14/13: Jonny Gomes strikes out after the umpire does not grant him a late timeout and is ejected after arguing the ruling

By Jeff Kirshman
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MLB.com |

OAKLAND -- Red Sox left fielder Jonny Gomes was ejected in the ninth inning of Boston's 3-2 loss to the A's on Sunday for arguing with home-plate umpire Todd Tichenor.

The former A's player was tossed after he was denied timeout at the plate and instead struck out swinging against A's All-Star Grant Balfour with the score tied at 2.

"I think the second pitch of the at-bat I called time and he gave it to me," Gomes said. "I played with Balfour for a while. He stands on the mound and takes his time, so I wanted to get my time in, as well. He gave it to me the first time and he didn't the second.

"How I go about it is if you want time, you should get time in three times. 'Time, time, time.' I said it four times: 'Time, time, time, time.' Four times. And I took my hand off my bat and pointed at him and got another two in. And then I had time to put the hand back on my bat and take a swing. I don't know where we got hung up there."

The ejection was Gomes' third of his career and first in more than five years, when he fought with current A's center fielder Coco Crisp on June 5, 2008, as a member of the Rays.

"I was kind of baffled, because I know how hard it is to come off the bench," Gomes said. "I don't think I've ever been ejected -- maybe once a long time ago - for that simple fact. I don't like to get that guy off the bench to have to come in the game. I take a lot of pride in that and I take a lot of pride in not arguing that third strike because chances are me, personally, I messed up the first two, so I'll give him that third. I just had to ask where we got hung up and he gave me an answer and rung me."

Jeff Kirshman is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.